The Weird Quirks I've Developed Due to My Hypothyroidism – Summed Up in Disney GIFs

I use antibacterial soap as body wash. After almost losing my foot to a freak bacterial infection, I’ve developed a pretty intense fear of germs, but this trick always makes me feel better. And I have to tell you, I do feel like I haven’t been sick with minor illnesses as often since I began doing this.

I notice places that provide hand sanitizer or easy access to sinks. I also pay more attention to when people do or do not wash their hands. And I keep a seemingly endless supply of hand sanitizer around at all times.

I can sleep anywhere. And yes, I do mean anywhere. From football games to standing upright at a show during Bonnaroo, I’ve fallen asleep at some of the wildest, noisiest events.

I am always cold and I use a space heater even in the summer. Yep, you read that right. Even if it’s 95°+ outside, I am almost always running a space heater under my desk at work. I keep a fleece jacket stashed away too – just in case. I also wear fleece pajamas and socks all year round. And I sleep under a heavy comforter. Otherwise I’m too cold to sleep.

I’m extremely susceptible to changes in temperature in my environment. I can tell when my husband turns the thermostat down even one degree.

And since I’m so sensitive to cold, I love summer weather. Sometimes too much. So combine that with my temperature sensitivities and I’ve accidentally given myself heat exhaustion three times within the past year.

Sometimes I fall asleep at 8 p.m. – and then sleep for 10 hours. Spoonies have an extra need for sleep and I’m no exception. When I’ve pushed it too hard, it always catches up eventually.

I require light to wake up in the morning. Even with a light wake alarm clock, if there’s no natural light coming in from the windows, every light in the bedroom has to be turned on for me to get moving.

I don’t have a window as my desk, so I use a light therapy lamp at work to keep my hypothyroid and vitamin D deficiency-induced depression at bay. (You can find more on that here.)

I have developed a fear of not being able to get help in case of a medical emergency which also stemmed from the time I almost had to have my foot amputated. Crowds don’t bother me, but put me in a situation where I would not have easy access to an exit or help in an emergency and I’m majorly uncomfortable.

Sometimes, I have a tendency to forget things if I don’t write them down. Brain fog and the accompanying struggle are all too familiar. And occasionally, I struggle to remember a word I’m looking for during a conversation.

As embarrassing as this is to admit, sometimes climbing stairs is absolutely exhausting and I find myself having to rest for a second halfway up – even in my own house.

But despite all these weird quirks, I am lucky to have a patient, loving group of people who make up my support system and have learned to embrace my oddities as much as I have.